Improvement in earth-closets



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MERRITT E. DOOLITTLE, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO EARTH- CLOSET COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN EARTH-CLOSETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,795, dated September 12, 1871.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MERRITT E. DooLITTLE, of Hartford, of Hartford county, in the State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful 11nprovement in Earth-Closets 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this application.

My invention relates to that kind of earth-closets or commodes in which there is a case or hopper for containing a supply of the powdered earth or other deodorant, which is automatically distributed in proper quantities by a suitable mechanism each time the closet is used.

Previous to my invention it has been customary, in the construction of this kind of closet or commode, to have the case containing the supply of earth permanently arranged over the distributing mechanism, (which latter is generally in rear of and near to the seat.) To this mode of construction there are some serious objections, particularly where the commode is designed to be used on boats and in other places where there is but little space to be afforded conveniently for the accommodation of the apparatus. Among the objections to this known mode of construction may be mentioned the liability of the powdered earth to pack (or get in a too solid condition by gravity) in the earth-case, which has to be made narrow and high to economize room, and the inconvenience of having the case always extended to the requisite height.

To overcome these difficulties and others is the object of the first part of my invention, which consists in the use of a case or earth-receptacle, which is adapted to be raised and lowered, as hereinafter described, in such a manner as to keep its contents in a disintegrated condition or prevent packing, and so as to render the whole apparatus more compact, (or to occupy less room.)

In that class of earth-closets alluded to, as heretofore made, there are other objections, among which may be mentioned the complexity or inefiiciency of the distributing mechanism and the difficulty of working such mechanism by means of a seat-flap hinged at its rear side, as it has been customary to hinge such iiaps or seat-pieces.

To overcome these objections and difficulties is the object of the second part of my invention, Which consists in certain improvements in the distributing mechanism, and also in hinging the seat-piece, which induces to the operation of said distributing mechanism, at its front end, so as to get a quicker motion to its vibratory side, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my improved earth-closet and commode, Iwill describe its construction and operation by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a sectional elevation of a commode embracing my invention with the parts in the positions they assume while the commode is being used. Fig. 2 is a similar sectional view with the parts shifted into the positions in which they are placed when the commode is not in use.

In the several figures the same part is designated by the same letter of reference.

A is the body or main case of the commode, in which the usual vessel V is placed. D is the seat, which is hinged to the case A at its front edge, and is held up in an inclined position, as seen at Fig. 2, when the apparatus is not in use,

and is pressed down into a horizontal position,-I

as seen at Fig. 1, by the weight of the person using the commode. J is the urine-shield or deflector. B is the folding earth-case or hopper, which is provided with a door, C, through which it is iilled, and which is hinged to the case A at a, as clearly shown. K is a throat-piece or hood, through which the earth passes, in a manner to be presently described, to the box or chute F, from whence it is discharged by an oscillatory distributer, Gr. This distributer Gr is semi-cylindrical in shape, and is provided with an axis, s, on which it turns freely, and which is mounted in suitable bearings in the sides of the box F,

and is provided with a small wheel or pulley at each end, as and for the purpose to be presently explained. I is an arm or standard, which projects downward from the rear under portion of the vibratory seat D, and from the lower extremity of which passes a chain or its equivalent, a, that extends over and is secured to the periphery of one of the wheels or pulleys of shaft s. From the other pulley of said shaft s passes downward a chain, t, that connects with a spiral spring, m, fastened at its lower end to the floor or bottom of case A. On top of the seat D is hinged a lid, E, as shown. The box F is about rectangular in its general contour. It is open on the side nearest the seat. lt has the semi-cylindrical distrib- 't on the pulley and shaft s, and the charge of of seat can raise up,) this sudden motion of the B swung' down into a horizontal position again,

uter mounted within it, and its rear internal surface is curved to conform somewhat to the curvature of the distributer G, which is arranged so as to be vcapable of oscillating freely on its axis s within the case F, and is held in the position seen at Fig. 2 by the spring m, which pulls down on the chain t and in opposition to the holdingchain n (which passes from the pulley on the other end of shaft s) attached to the arm I; and it will be understood that the tension of the spring m tends to wind up the chain h on its pulley, and thereby elevate the rear end of th'e seat D and hold it in the position seen at Fig. 2. Immediately over the distributer G is a projecting ledge, L, which serves to prevent the earth discharged from the throatat K (when up, as seen at Fig. 2) from falling in front of G, and also to prevent the earth from escaping from the case B when the latter is raised up, as seen at Fig. l.

The operation of the commode is as follows: Supposing the case B to have a supply of earth and to have been in an elevated position when closed down, as seen at Fig. 2, a given quantity of earth will tumble out of the throat or hoodpiece K and fall into the box F. Now, when the commode is to be used the case B has to be raised up into the position seen at Fig. l and the lid E thrown up, as there shown; and when the person sits 011 the seat D and brings it down into the position seen at Fig. l the distributer G is turned into the position seen at Fig. l, and the charge of earth which was dropped into the box F, as just explained, is allowed to pass down and accumulate in the lower portion of said box and behind the lat surface of distributer G. The moment the person begins to rise (or the moment the seat is relieved of weight) the distributer G is suddenly flipped round into the position seen ,at Fig. 2 by the action of the spring m and chain earth contained in the lower portion of box F is thrown out and scattered over the contents of the excrement-chamber, and at the same time the seat D is thrown up into the position seen at Fig. 2. And it will be understood that, by having the seat hinged at the front edge, as shown and described, (so that the moment the person leans forward and begins to rise the rear portion distributer to throw out the charge of earth is permitted. The lid E is now closed and the case whereby another charge of earth is allowed to fall from the throat K into the box F, ready for the next use of the commode. It will be seen that when the earth-receptacle B is closed down, as seen at Fig. 2, the commode assumes the shape of a square box and will occupy but little room, and that when raised up, as seen at Fig. l, the apparatus does not occupy any more room laterally (in any direction) than it. did when closed up; and it will be understood that, by the necessary lifting up and shutting down of the case B, the powdered earth is constantly shaken up or agitated, and any packing or clogging which might otherwise occur is effect-ually prevented.

The distributer G may be formed with projecting edges at 2, which tend to retain the charge of earth while G stands in the position seen at Fig. l, and to effectually clear out the earth as G iiies round into the position seen at Fig. 2. The distributer should work free of and a little distance from the curved back side of box F, as shown.

It will be seen that a distributer made and operating as l have shown and described, and in combination with a receptacle, F, into which the earth flows or is discharged, will most effectually distribute the charge of earth every time over the excrement in chamber V; and it will be understood that, by hingin g the seat at the front edge, the movable or vibratory portion (to which the distributing mechanism is coupled) is permitted to move with a quicker motion as the person rises, and that, consequently, the spring motion of the drum G is much more sudden and effective than it could otherwise be. It will be understood that this feature of hin ging the seat at the front edge may be applied with advantage to closets having a different distributing mechanism, and that the separate features of my invention may, with some advantages, be used separately.

Without wishing to limit myself to the precise construction, in details, shown and described, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A commode or earth-closet, provided with the excrem ent chamber and the distributing mechanism, and having its earth receptacle adapted to be raised and lowered, all substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination with the box F, an oscillatory distributer, G, provided with suitable actuating mechanism, and operating substantially as herein described, for the purposes set forth.

3. In combination with a distributing mechanism constructed and adapted to throw or scatter the charge of earth, a seat, hinged at its front edge and connected by suitable means with the distributing device, the whole arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand and seal this 24th day of April, 1871.

MEBRITT E. DOOLITTLE. [L. s.)

Witnesses:

E. L. Donn, D. H. BUTLER. 

